(d) special economic zones (SEZs),
(e) tapping water resources (hydro-generation, irrigation),
(f) rural infrastructure (water supply and sanitation, transport, housing,
telephony), and
(g) urban infrastructure (water supply network, housing, sewerage, transport, slum
clearance/development, and solid waste management).
Economists use the term social overhead capital to denote funds invested in such
basic services, which are essential to the functioning of primary, secondary and
tertiary productive activities (see Chap. 2).
1.4.2 Social Infrastructure
Social Infrastructure comprises the following:
(a) human development programmes and social security,
(b) health, poverty alleviation programmes, and family welfare,
(c) education, training and skill development,
(d) availability of labour, its employment and labour welfare,
(e) female empowerment, and
(f) raising the living standards of socially disadvantaged groups.
In order for development to occur, it is necessary to provide social overhead
capital – and with it health care, and water supply facilities. Rather than being an end
in itself, this is a basic investment, because this will supply the basic outlay required
to uphold productive processes such as manufacturing.
Rather than concentrating on built infrastructure, this concept can easily be
extended to other sectors which provide services. (see Fig. 1.2) These necessary
services, which are also a sine qua non to a host of various economic and everyday
activities, are generally provided by public agencies under some form of public
regulation. These services may be provided for free or at rates determined by
government. Neglect of such public utilities and facilities can, very easily and
quickly, become a most serious drag on economic progress.
1.4.3 Critical Infrastructure
What would happen if tomorrow the transport system breaks down? How do people
go to work? How are goods (including food) transported to other towns? What about
a breakdown of the electricity network?
A little reflection shows that there are some sectors which cannot afford the
luxury of a momentary outage! In fact, we say that these sectors form part of “critical
infrastructure”. The European Union (European Commission 2020) defines
30
1 Introduction to Infrastructure
(e) tapping water resources (hydro-generation, irrigation),
(f) rural infrastructure (water supply and sanitation, transport, housing,
telephony), and
(g) urban infrastructure (water supply network, housing, sewerage, transport, slum
clearance/development, and solid waste management).
Economists use the term social overhead capital to denote funds invested in such
basic services, which are essential to the functioning of primary, secondary and
tertiary productive activities (see Chap. 2).
1.4.2 Social Infrastructure
Social Infrastructure comprises the following:
(a) human development programmes and social security,
(b) health, poverty alleviation programmes, and family welfare,
(c) education, training and skill development,
(d) availability of labour, its employment and labour welfare,
(e) female empowerment, and
(f) raising the living standards of socially disadvantaged groups.
In order for development to occur, it is necessary to provide social overhead
capital – and with it health care, and water supply facilities. Rather than being an end
in itself, this is a basic investment, because this will supply the basic outlay required
to uphold productive processes such as manufacturing.
Rather than concentrating on built infrastructure, this concept can easily be
extended to other sectors which provide services. (see Fig. 1.2) These necessary
services, which are also a sine qua non to a host of various economic and everyday
activities, are generally provided by public agencies under some form of public
regulation. These services may be provided for free or at rates determined by
government. Neglect of such public utilities and facilities can, very easily and
quickly, become a most serious drag on economic progress.
1.4.3 Critical Infrastructure
What would happen if tomorrow the transport system breaks down? How do people
go to work? How are goods (including food) transported to other towns? What about
a breakdown of the electricity network?
A little reflection shows that there are some sectors which cannot afford the
luxury of a momentary outage! In fact, we say that these sectors form part of “critical
infrastructure”. The European Union (European Commission 2020) defines
30
1 Introduction to Infrastructure